How To Beat Workout Blues

Exercising
makes you feel good. No one can deny that the sense of achievement and release of endorphins felt after a gruelling workout leaves you feeling more energised and happy than before. Nor can you ignore the
physical benefits of toning up, getting stronger, or feeling fitter. We all
know this, yet so many of us regularly talk ourselves out of going to the gym,
seeing it as a chore or an inconvenience.

So here are my top three tips for beating the workout blues:

1) Try new classes

I'm the
kind of person who gets very bored very quickly with the
same-old, same-old gym routine. I need to keep things varied. This for me means trying out lots of different fitness classes. Some I decide are not for me, but others I leave red-faced, dripping with sweat, and feeling fantastic. This week, I had one of those classes: Body
Combat. It was an hour of high-intensity cardio and resistance work, inspired
by martial arts such as kickboxing, karate, and Tai–chi. I may have thought I was actually going to DIE whilst doing it, but
I can’t deny that I felt super energised and proud of myself all day.

2)Don’t think about it. Just go!

Getting yourself out the door can definitely be the hardest
part sometimes, and the thought of a workout can tire us out in itself. So having your trainers by the door, a water bottle in your bag,
and a determination to distract your thoughts will get you to that gym class or
out on that run. In reality, once you’re there, you’re going to do the workout, because half of the effort is getting yourself there in the first place.

3) Invite a friend along

Everyone knows that having a gym buddy is a good way of improving
your work out performance. The healthy competition makes you push harder and
go for longer. But having a friend there also creates a feeling of being ‘in it
together’, they can

give you encouragement when you need it, and persuade you
around on days you don’t feel like going.

At the same time, it’s important to listen to your body and
know when you need to rest. If you've done a lot of strenuous workouts recently, or have muscle ache, or simply don't feel up to it, don’t go. The worst thing to do is put pressure on yourself to workout, or
make yourself feel guilty for missing a session. It’s all part of creating a
balanced lifestyle that works for you.

How To Beat Workout Blues
Reviewed by Laura Bell
on
08:36:00
Rating: 5